19
Jun
Canoe club cleans River Nidd after Knaresborough bed race
Members of the Dales Canoe Club have cleaned the River Nidd following the Great Knaresborough Bed Race.
Fifteen members of the club set off in canoes and kayaks to clear litter from the river and debris from the riverbanks.
The group set off from Conyngham Hall and collected waste between the hall and Horseshoe Field weir.
They collected three large refuse sacks of litter, finding mainly glass and plastic bottles.
Club coach Mike Kaye, 56, said responsibility to clean the river falls on the club as litter cannot be reached from land.
He said:
Someone needs to keep the river clean. It is very important to take litter home, there is a lot of it after the bed race and after the rowing boats have been hired out.
People choose to throw litter in the river or leave it on the ground and it is then blown into the water. It is done out of laziness, and it creates more problems for the environment.
There are lots of people who use the water, including children paddling and it makes it untidy and a hazard to health and wildlife.
Dales Canoe club with the sacks of rubbish they collected
Tennis balls, fishing wire and inflatables were among the items removed by the club, which has previously cleaned other stretches of the Nidd and Ure.
The club has 60 members aged 12 to 70 and is based at Starbeck Baths in the winter. In the warmer months, members row on rivers around the district.
Mr Kaye said:
It is a great hobby and keeps you fit, we have a lot of different members and anyone is welcome to join us regardless of experience.
Dales Canoe club on the River Nidd
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